President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced on Friday that Ukraine is actively developing interceptor drones to counter the increasing threat posed by Russian drones swarming Ukrainian cities. The surge in Iranian-designed Shahed drones deployed by Russian forces has prompted Ukraine to focus on enhancing its technological capabilities to combat this threat. Zelenskiy confirmed in a video address that efforts are underway to boost protection against Shahed drones through the development of interceptor drones by domestic enterprises. Ukrainian production of interceptors is already on the rise in response to the escalating drone activity.
Russian forces have unleashed over 400 drones in a single night, with more than 470 drones launched on multiple occasions. In a recent devastating attack on Kyiv, a total of 440 drones, along with 32 missiles, were used in a coordinated assault that resulted in significant destruction and casualties. The urgency to improve drone air defense capabilities is emphasized by Air Force spokesperson Yuri Ihnat, who highlighted the need to conserve resources and explore innovative methods to counter the growing drone threat.
President Zelenskiy and Ukrainian officials underscore the importance of domestic drone production in strengthening national defense. Following the Russian invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has significantly increased its drone production capacity, aiming to produce millions of drones annually. Moreover, Ukraine has been utilizing drones for strategic strikes within Russia, targeting industrial and military assets. In a recent operation, Ukrainian drones successfully targeted Russian strategic bomber aircraft at various airfields.
(Reporting by Ron Popeski and Oleksander Kozhukhar; Editing by Leslie Adler)
